This blog entry was written by Allie Brown, former Clean Energy Advocacy Manager at SACE.
Guest Blog | July 21, 2017 | Climate Change
The attacks to clean energy are in full force. President Trump is pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, halting EPA’s Clean Power Plan, and placing dirty pipelines back on the table. Here in the Southeast, wind energy development is under attack, and offshore drilling and seismic blasting are, once again, a threat to our coasts.
But the resistance is also in full force. Across the South, we have scientists organizing their first marches for action, and community events filling up to standing room only. And, regardless of the decisions made on Capitol Hill, the price of clean energy is plummeting and thriving. North Carolina’s first wind farm, Amazon Wind Farm U.S. East, is a $400 million capital investment, and the project is expected to generate $250,000 in local property tax revenues in just 2017 alone. Three of our states in the Southeast (Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida) were ranked in the top 10 for PV installations in 2016 and show no signs of slowing down.
SACE is obviously disappointed with the blatant failure of our country’s leadership to take responsibility for our own climate pollution and seize all the opportunities presented by affordable, renewable energy, but our work is not slowing down. It’s ramping up, and that’s where you come into play: So much is on the line right now, and we’re looking for climate champions to join us across the Southeast to get involved and stand up for our climate. Can you write a letter to the editor? Attend a local event? Make phone calls for a SACE campaign? Or maybe you have other ideas to share with us…
Take a few minutes and sign up to get involved here!
Last year, SACE led a coalition that was successful in two major solar ballot victories despite being severely underfunded and understaffed. The Solar Choice campaign went toe to toe against a $26 million utility-backed campaign and won! The key to our success? People Power.
The Solar Choice coalition, composed of thousands of dedicated volunteers, was a true victory for grassroots activism over corporate greed. Now, SACE is looking to emulate this grassroots success in other states across the region. We’re gearing up to push for more clean, cheap energy in Memphis, fight rate increases of billions of dollars for the nuclear boondoggle in South Carolina, and open up EV policies that will Electrify the South.
Can you help SACE strengthen the call for clean energy solutions?
Sign up here to join the fight against global climate change and bring more clean energy to the Southeast.